1998 Pocono 500 Explained

Type:NASWINSTON
Date:June 21
Network:TNN
Most Driver:Jeremy Mayfield
Most Laps:122
First Driver:Jeremy Mayfield
Most Team:Penske-Kranefuss Racing
First Team:Penske-Kranefuss Racing
Car:12
Pole Team:Hendrick Motorsports
Pole Driver:Jeff Gordon
Pole Time:53.558
Avg:134.389mph
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Official Name:17th Annual Pocono 500
Location:Long Pond, Pennsylvania, Pocono Raceway
Distance Laps:200
Scheduled Laps:200
Race Name:Pocono 500
Year:1998
Season No:33
Race No:15
Course Km:4.0
Course Mi:2.5
Scheduled Mi:500
Scheduled Km:804.672
Distance Km:804.672
Distance Mi:500
Announcers:Eli Gold, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren

The 1998 Pocono 500 was the 15th stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 17th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 21, 1998, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, at Pocono Raceway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) triangular permanent course. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. Within the last 25 laps, Penske-Kranefuss Racing driver Jeremy Mayfield was able to defend against Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon to complete a dominant run to win the race, securing his first career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1] [2] To fill out the podium, Gordon and Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

The race was held at Pocono Raceway, which is a three-turn superspeedway located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The track hosts two annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, as well as one Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series event. Until 2019, the track also hosted an IndyCar Series race.

Pocono Raceway is one of a very few NASCAR tracks not owned by either Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or International Speedway Corporation. It is operated by the Igdalsky siblings Brandon, Nicholas, and sister Ashley, and cousins Joseph IV and Chase Mattioli, all of whom are third-generation members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.

Outside of the NASCAR races, the track is used throughout the year by Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and motorcycle clubs as well as racing schools and an IndyCar race. The triangular oval also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – North Course, East Course and South Course. Each of these infield sections use a separate portion of the tri-oval to complete the track. During regular non-race weekends, multiple clubs can use the track by running on different infield sections. Also some of the infield sections can be run in either direction, or multiple infield sections can be put together – such as running the North Course and the South Course and using the tri-oval to connect the two.

Entry list

DriverTeamMakeSponsor
00Buckshot JonesBuckshot RacingPontiacAquafresh
1Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.ChevroletPennzoil
2Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFordMiller Lite
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service Plus
4Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevroletKodak
5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKellogg's Frosted Flakes
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordValvoline
7Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFordPhilips
9Lake SpeedMelling RacingFordCartoon Network "Happy Birthday NASCAR!"
10Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFordTide
11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFordPaychex
12Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFordMobil 1
13Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFordFirstPlus Financial Group
16Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFordPrimeStar
18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiacInterstate Batteries
21Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiacMBNA, Penn State Nittany Lions
23Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFordWinston No Bull
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletDuPont
26Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFordCheerios, Pop Secret
28Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
30Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiacGumout
31Mike SkinnerRichard Childress RacingChevroletLowe's
33Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevroletSkoal
35Todd BodineISM RacingPontiacTabasco
36Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiacSkittles
40Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevroletCoors Light
41Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
42Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevroletBellSouth
43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacHot Wheels
46Jeff GreenTeam SABCOChevroletFirst Union
50Wally Dallenbach Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevroletBudweiser
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletTeam Realtree Camouflage
75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFordRemington Arms
77Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFordJasper Engines & Transmissions
81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFordSquare D
88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFordQuality Care Service, Ford Credit
90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFordHeilig-Meyers
91Kevin Lepage (R)LJ RacingChevroletLJ Racing
94Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFordMcDonald's
96Hut StricklinAmerican Equipment RacingChevroletCaterpillar
97Chad LittleRoush RacingFordJohn Deere
98Rich BickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFordThorn Apple Valley
99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordExide Batteries

Practice

First practice

The first practice session was held on Friday, June 19. Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 53.639 and an average speed of 167.788mph.[3]

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
112Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord53.639167.788
288Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord53.771167.376
342Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet53.773167.370
Full first practice results

Final practice

The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, June 20. Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 54.681 and an average speed of 164.591mph.[4]

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
112Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord54.681164.591
22Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFord54.803164.225
324Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet54.816164.186
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, June 19, at 3:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 drivers in the round would be guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Saturday, June 20, at 11:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[5] On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[6] Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 53.558 and an average speed of 168.042mph.[7]

Two drivers would fail to qualify: Dave Marcis and Buckshot Jones.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet53.558168.042
22Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFord53.752167.436
312Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord53.832167.187
433Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet53.944166.840
522Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac53.950166.821
66Mark MartinRoush RacingFord53.959166.793
742Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet53.972166.753
816Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord54.052166.506
988Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord54.058166.488
1097Chad LittleRoush RacingFord54.079166.423
113Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet54.089166.392
125Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet54.106166.340
1381Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord54.136166.248
1450Wally Dallenbach Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet54.145166.220
1540Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevrolet54.252165.893
164Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet54.254165.886
1744Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac54.263165.859
181Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet54.277165.816
1943John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac54.293165.767
2031Mike SkinnerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet54.326165.667
2190Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord54.339165.627
2294Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFord54.344165.612
2318Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac54.383165.493
2475Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord54.398165.447
2596Hut StricklinAmerican Equipment RacingChevrolet54.405165.426
2646Jeff GreenTeam SABCOChevrolet54.066166.463
2798Rich BickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord54.169166.147
2899Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord54.267165.847
2921Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord54.287165.786
3013Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFord54.309165.718
3136Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac54.331165.651
3277Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord54.429165.353
3310Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord54.485165.183
3423Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord54.618164.780
3511Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord54.595164.850
3628Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord54.612164.799
Provisionals
3726Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFord-*-*
3841Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet-*-*
397Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFord-*-*
409Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord-*-*
4130Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac-*-*
4291Kevin Lepage (R)LJ RacingChevrolet-*-*
4335Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac-*-*
Failed to qualify
4471Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet54.634164.733
4500Buckshot JonesBuckshot RacingPontiac54.995163.651
Official qualifying results

Race results

Fin[8] StDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
1312Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord200122running185$111,580
2124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20017running175$79,500
3988Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord20026running170$62,220
42899Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord2001running165$49,080
566Mark MartinRoush RacingFord2003running160$40,645
6181Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet20010running155$28,725
71450Wally Dallenbach Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2009running151$34,575
8113Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2001running147$34,625
91540Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevrolet2000running138$23,825
103423Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord2000running134$41,975
113628Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord2000running130$33,175
12125Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2000running127$32,025
131943John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac2000running124$31,425
142921Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord2000running121$27,575
152318Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac2008running123$31,675
163277Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord2001running120$20,275
17816Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord2000running112$25,825
183511Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord2001running114$25,525
194291Kevin Lepage (R)LJ RacingChevrolet2000running106$18,925
20164Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet2000running103$32,400
213013Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFord2000running100$17,755
224335Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac1990running97$14,355
233841Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet1990running94$24,430
24522Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac1980running91$24,280
25409Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord1980running88$17,105
264130Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac1940running85$23,955
272190Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord1920transmission82$23,805
282596Hut StricklinAmerican Equipment RacingChevrolet1840engine79$16,655
292031Mike SkinnerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1800running76$16,580
301097Chad LittleRoush RacingFord1731crash78$16,030
311744Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac1630engine70$20,480
322798Rich BickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord1610transmission67$20,430
332646Jeff GreenTeam SABCOChevrolet1570transmission64$13,830
343136Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac1480running61$20,255
35742Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet1470transmission58$20,180
363726Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFord1420running55$20,105
372294Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFord1300engine52$20,040
382475Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord860engine49$12,915
391381Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord850engine46$12,915
40397Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFord760engine43$19,915
413310Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord490engine40$29,315
4222Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFord130engine37$27,915
43433Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet50crash34$22,415
Failed to qualify
4471Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet
4500Buckshot JonesBuckshot RacingPontiac
Official race results

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Poole . David . June 21, 1998 . Victory Lane no longer just a dream for Mayfield . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20000818001235/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0621/0622500lede.htm . August 18, 2000 . September 8, 2022 . That's Racin' . The Charlotte Observer.
  2. News: Brinster . Dick . June 22, 1998 . Focused Mayfield wins race . 23 . The State . September 8, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  3. Web site: June 19, 1998 . Pocono practice speeds . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20000818001632/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0621/0620practice.htm . August 18, 2000 . September 8, 2022 . That's Racin'.
  4. Web site: Happy Hour practice speeds . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20000818001451/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0621/0621happy.htm . August 18, 2000 . September 8, 2022 . That's Racin'.
  5. Web site: Your Guide to the Pocono 500 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20000815213120/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0621/ . August 15, 2000 . September 8, 2022 . That's Racin'.
  6. Web site: January 24, 1998 . Additional Provisionals announced . August 31, 2022 . Motorsport.com . en.
  7. Web site: Poole . David . June 19, 1998 . Gordon takes bumpy ride to pole . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20010503070947/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0621/0620quallede.htm . May 3, 2001 . September 8, 2022 . That's Racin' . The Charlotte Observer.
  8. Web site: 1998 Pocono 500 - The Third Turn . September 6, 2022 . The Third Turn . en.